Medical article securement device

ABSTRACT

A medical article securement device  100  holds a medical article  300  such as a catheter hub or a connector fitting in position upon the body of a patient and inhibits movement of the medical article relative to the patient. The medical article  300  includes an elongated body  430 , a pair of outwardly extending wings  301 ( a ),  301 ( b ), and a port  305 . The securement device  100  includes a retainer  120  and at least one anchor pad  110 . The retainer  120  forms a channel  140  into which at least a portion of the medical article  300  is secured. The retainer  120  includes at least one abutment that abuts against a contact point or surface on the port  305 . The anchor pad  110  includes an adhesive layer that is attached to both an epidural layer of a patient and at least a portion of the pair of wings  301 ( a ),  301 ( b ).

This application is the National Stage of International Application No.PCT/US2009/054955, filed on Aug. 25, 2009, entitled “MEDICAL ARTICLESECUREMENT DEVICE”, which is hereby expressly incorporated by referencein its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a securement system used to attach a medicalline to a patient.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is common in the treatment of patients to utilize catheters tointroduce fluids and medications directly into the patient or towithdraw fluids from the patient. Often, it becomes desirable tomaintain such catheterization over an extended period of time during thetreatment of a patient. In order to keep the catheter or other medicalline properly positioned for the duration of treatment, the catheter ormedical line can be secured to the patient in a variety of ways. Mostcommonly, this involves taping the catheter or medical line to thepatient.

Securing a catheter with tape upon the patient traditionally has certaindrawbacks. The use of tape at the insertion site can retain dirt orother contaminant particles, potentially leading to infection of thepatient. Tape also fails to limit catheter motion and, therefore,contributes to motion related complications like phlebitis, infiltrationand catheter migration. Additionally, removal of taped dressings canitself cause undesired motion of the catheter upon the patient.

Taped dressings also require periodic changes. The frequent, oftendaily, removal and reapplication of adhesive tape to the skin of thepatient can excoriate the skin in the area around the dressing. Suchrepeated applications of tape over the catheter or medical line canadditionally lead to the build up of adhesive residue on the outersurface of the catheter or medical line. This residue can result incontaminants adhering to the catheter itself, increasing the likelihoodof infection of the insertion site. This residue can also make thecatheter or medical line stickier and more difficult to handle forhealthcare providers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The systems and methods of the present invention have several features,no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirableattributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed bythe claims which follow, its more prominent features will now bediscussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularlyafter reading the section entitled “Detailed Description of thePreferred Embodiments” one will understand how the features of thisinvention provide several advantages over traditional cathetersecurement systems.

One aspect of the present invention is a medical article securementsystem that comprises a medical article, at least one anchor pad, and aretainer. The medical article comprises an elongated body having alongitudinal axis, a pair of wings extending away from the elongatedbody, and a port disposed on the elongated body and forming a contactsurface. The port and the pair of wings are disposed along thelongitudinal axis of the elongated body at the same general location.The at least one anchor pad includes a lower adhesive surface forattaching to both an epidural layer of a patient and at least a portionof the pair of wings. The retainer comprises a body member, at least oneabutment, and at least one support. The body member has a channel formedtherethrough about a channel axis, the channel having a longitudinallength for receiving at least a portion of the elongated body andpermitting access to the port at least when the medical article issecured within the channel. The body member also has a longitudinalaccess opening disposed on an underside of the body member to allow atleast ingress of the portion of the elongated body into the channel. Theat least one abutment extends generally normal to the channel axis andis configured to abut the contact surface on the port so as to inhibitlongitudinal movement of the medical article relative to the retainer inat least one direction. The at least one support is disposed on theunderside of the body member and to a side of the access openingopposite the channel access. The support is attached to the at least oneanchor pad.

Another aspect of the invention is a system for securing a medicalarticle to a patient comprising a medical article, a retainer, and apair of anchor pads. The medical article comprises an elongated bodyhaving a longitudinal axis, a pair of wings extending in oppositelateral directions from the elongated body, and a port disposed on theelongated body and extending generally in a transverse direction. Theport is generally aligned with the pair of wings along the longitudinalaxis. The retainer comprises a body member that has a channel formedtherethrough about a channel axis. The channel receives at least aportion of the elongated body and permits access to the port at leastwhen the medical article is received within the channel. The body memberhas a longitudinal access opening disposed on an underside of the bodymember to allow at least ingress of the portion of the elongated bodyinto the channel. A pair of supports is disposed on the underside of thebody member and to the sides of the access opening opposite the channelaxis. A pair of anchor pads is attached to the pair of supports. Theanchor pads include a lower adhesive surface for attaching to both anepidural layer of a patient and at least a portion of each wing suchthat the wings are secured relative to both the epidural layer of thepatient and the retainer.

Yet another aspect of the invention is a method for securing a medicalarticle to a patient. The method comprises providing a medical articlecomprising an elongated body having a longitudinal axis, a pair of wingsand a port extending away from the elongated body at generally the samelocation along the longitudinal axis, the port defining a contactsurface disposed on a distal side of the port. The method also comprisesproviding a retainer comprising a body member and two anchor pads, thebody member having a channel formed therethrough, the channel beingconfigured to receive the medical article, and at least one abutmentextending generally normal to the channel. The method also comprisespressing the medical article into the channel through an opening formedon the underside of the retainer such that the port remains accessibleand the medical article is inhibited from moving in both transverse andlateral directions, abutting the contact surface on the port against theat least one abutment on the retainer so as to inhibit longitudinalmotion of the medical article relative to the retainer in a firstlongitudinal direction, and adhering the anchor pads to at least aportion of the pair of wings so as to inhibit longitudinal motion of themedical article relative to the retainer in a second longitudinaldirection.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments, which refers to the attachedfigures. The invention is not limited, however, to the particularembodiments that are disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the inventiondisclosed herein are described below with reference to the drawings ofpreferred embodiments, which are intended to illustrate and not to limitthe invention. Additionally, from figure to figure, the same referencenumerals have been used to designate the same components of anillustrated embodiment. The following is a brief description of thedrawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a securement device configured inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the securement system of FIG. 1 thatincludes a retainer and anchor pads;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a right anchor pad from FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a left anchor pad from FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the retainer shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a back side view of the retainer of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front side view of the retainer of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the retainer of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the retainer of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the securement system of FIG. 1positioned above a medical article prior to assembly with the medicalarticle;

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 10 except that release liners have beenremoved from the anchor pads;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the medical article receivedwithin the securement system of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a front side view of the securement system and medicalarticle of FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 is a cross-section through the securement system and medicalarticle taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a cross-section through the securement system and medicalarticle taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description and the accompanying figures, which describeand show the preferred embodiments, are made to demonstrate severalpossible configurations that a securement system can take to includevarious aspects and features of the invention. The illustratedembodiments are shown in use with either one or both of an illustrativeexample of a catheter hub and an illustrative example of a connectorfitting (e.g., an extension set) with a spin nut for connection to thecatheter hub. The illustration of the securement device in this contextis not intended to limit the disclosed aspects and features of theinvention to the specified embodiments or to usage only with theillustrated connector or hub. Those of skill in the art will recognizethat the disclosed aspects and features of the invention are not limitedto any particular embodiment of a securement system, and securementsystems, which include one or more of the inventive aspects and featuresherein described, can be designed for use with a variety of medicalarticles.

To assist in the description of these components of the securementsystem, the following coordinate terms are used (see FIG. 1). A“longitudinal axis” is generally parallel to a portion of the catheterhub, the connector fitting or other medical article retained by thesecurement system, as well as parallel to the axis of a channel of theretainer, through which the medical article extends. A “lateral axis” isnormal to the longitudinal axis. A “transverse axis” extends normal toboth the longitudinal and lateral axes. In addition, as used herein,“the longitudinal direction” refers to a direction substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis; “the lateral direction” refers to adirection substantially parallel to the lateral axis; and “thetransverse direction” refers to a direction substantially parallel tothe transverse axis. The term “axial” as used herein refers to the axisof the channel or connector fitting, and therefore is substantiallysynonymous with the term “longitudinal” as used herein. Also, the terms“proximal” and “distal”, which are used to describe the presentsecurement system, are used consistently with the description of theexemplary applications (e.g., the illustrative examples of the useapplications). Thus, proximal and distal are used in reference to thecenter of the patient's body. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “top,”“bottom,” “underside,” “upperside” and the like, which also are used todescribe the present securement system, are used in reference to theillustrated orientation of the embodiment. For example, the term“upperside” is used to describe the portion of the retainer that islocated above a lateral axis that passes through the axis of thechannel. The term “underside” is used to describe the portion of theretainer that is located below a lateral axis that passes through theaxis of the channel. Brief introductions to some of the features, whichare common to the described embodiments of the securement systems, arenow described. In the illustrated embodiment, the arrows on thesecurement device point in the direction toward the insertion site(e.g., in the proximal direction).

The preferred embodiments of the present invention advantageouslyprovide a multi-point medical line securement system. The medicalarticle preferably has a pair of wings. The wings of the medical articlecooperate with a first portion of the securement device while the bodyof the medical article cooperates with a second portion of thesecurement device to arrest movement of the medical article when themedical article is placed within the retainer.

In each of the embodiments described below, the retainer has a bodymember which includes an inverted channel formed therethrough. Theinverted channel has a longitudinal access opening located on anunderside of the retainer to allow ingress and/or egress of the medicalarticle. The medical article is installed or removed from the undersideof the retainer via this access opening. Such an arrangement allows thehealthcare provider to align at least a portion of the medical articlewith the retainer prior to fixing the retainer to the patient's skin. Inthis way, the inverted channel retains a portion of the medical article.

The retainer includes at least one abutment (preferably an abutmentsurface) that cooperates with at least one contact point or surface onthe medical article. The one or more abutments of the retainer extendgenerally normal to the axis of the channel and can be, for example, butwithout limitation a surface, a wall of a slot, a ridge, a protuberance,or similar structures. The abutment cooperates with the one or morecontact points or surfaces of the medical article to inhibitlongitudinal movement of the medical article through the channel. Forexample, the abutment could be a surface on the proximal end of theretainer that acts against at least a portion of a port or similarmember extending generally in a transverse direction from the medicalarticle. In this way, the medical article will be limited in its distalmovement (e.g., movement away from the patient) once the port contactsor abuts against the proximal end of the retainer.

The retainer of each embodiment described below further includes atleast one support that is preferably disposed on the underside of theretainer at a position lower than the access opening. Each support inthe illustrated embodiments includes a left/right mounting wing. Thewings are preferably integral to the body member and are attached toleft and right anchor pads. Lower surfaces of the left and right anchorpads contact the wings of the medical article independent from the bodyof the medical article contacting the channel. In this way, the wings ofthe secured medical article are disposed between the lower surfaces ofthe left and/or right anchor pads and the patient's skin to provide asecondary or redundant point of securement between the medical articleand the securement device.

To facilitate a complete understanding of the illustrated embodiment,the remainder of the detailed description describes the securementsystem with reference to the attached figures, wherein like elementsamong the embodiments are referenced with like numerals throughout thefollowing description.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a securement system 100 configured inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 2 is atop plan view of the securement system 100 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS.1 and 2, the illustrated securement system 100 comprises three maincomponents: two anchor pads 110(a), 110(b) and a retainer 120. Theillustrated retainer 120 includes a left footing/mounting support 210(a)and right footing/mounting support 210(b). Each mounting support 210(a),210(b) is disposed upon the respective one of the anchor pads 110(a),110(b). The mounting supports 210(a), 210(b) extend in a lateraldirection away from a center of the retainer 120.

As noted above, the securement system 100 can form a component of acatheterization system that also includes one or more medical articles,such as connector fittings, catheters, hubs, catheter adaptors, fluidsupply lines, or other articles suitable for securement via the anchorpads and retainer. An opening in the retainer 120 is aligned with themedical article. The medical article is inserted between the anchor pads110(a), 110(b), through the opening, and into the retainer 120. Theanchor pads 110(a), 110(b) may include an adhesive disposed upon thebottom surface of the pads. The medical article may include a pair oflaterally extending members/wings and at least a portion of each wingmay be attached to the adhesive layers of pads 110(a), 110(b). Theanchor pads 110(a), 110(b) may then be secured to the skin of thepatient via the adhesive surfaces. In this way, the retainer 120 securesthe medical article to the patient. Thus, the securement system 100 atleast restricts, if not prevents, longitudinal, transverse, lateral, androtational movement of the retained section of the medical articlerelative to the retainer 120. The embodiment illustrated is preferablyfor use with a catheter adapter or hub, as described with reference toFIGS. 10-15. The embodiments of the anchor pad and the retainer aredescribed in more detail below.

Anchor Pad

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the anchor pads 110(b), 110(a), respectively,apart from the rest of the securement system 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Thegeneral structure of each anchor pads 110(a), 110(b) comprises agenerally rectangular shape with a scalloped region 112 located at acorner of each anchor pad. The scalloped configuration eases the processof aligning the securement device 100 with a catheter insertion site inthe patient's skin. Although only a single shape of the anchor pad isillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, those of skill in the art will recognizethat a variety of shapes can be used.

Each anchor pad 110 desirably comprises a laminate structure with anupper plastic, paper or foam layer (e.g., closed-cell polyethylene foam)and a lower adhesive layer. The lower adhesive layer constitutes a lowersurface 160 of the anchor pad. The lower surface 160 desirably is amedical-grade adhesive and can be either diaphoretic or nondiaphoretic,depending upon the particular application. Such foam with an adhesivelayer is available commercially from Avery Dennison of Painsville, Ohio.While not illustrated, the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b) can include sutureholes in addition to the adhesive layer to further secure the anchor padto the patient's skin.

In other variations, a hydrocolloid adhesive or zinc oxide-basedadhesive can advantageously be used upon the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b)for attaching the anchor pads to wings extending from the medicalarticle and to the skin of the patient. The hydrocolloid or zincoxide-based adhesive can be used either alone or in combination withanother medical grade adhesive (e.g., in combination with the adhesiveavailable from Avery Dennison). Hydrocolloid and zinc oxide-basedadhesives have less of a tendency to excoriate the skin of a patientwhen removed. This can be particularly important for patients whose skinis more sensitive or fragile, such as neonates and those with a collagendeficiency or other skin related condition.

In another variation, each anchor pad 110(a), 110(b) comprises alaminate structure with an upper woven layer and a lower adhesive layer.The upper layer can be polyester or other suitable polymer or textilematerials. One particular suitable material is a woven polyesteravailable commercially under the name “Tricot” from Tyco. The loweradhesive layer constitutes the lower surface 160 of the anchor pad. Thelower surface desirably is a medical-grade adhesive and can be eitherdiaphoretic or nondiaphoretic, depending upon the particularapplication.

A surface of the upper foam layer constitutes an upper surface 170 ofthe anchor pads 110(a), 110(b). The upper surface 170 can be roughenedby corona-treating the foam with a low electric charge. The roughened orporous upper surface can improve the quality of the adhesive joint(which is described below) between the mounting wings 210 and the anchorpads 110. In a further variation, the flexible anchor pad can comprisean upper paper or other woven or nonwoven cloth or plastic layer in lieuof a roughened upper foam surface.

The anchor pads 110(a), 110(b) preferably are arranged with respect tothe retainer 120 such that the tip of the medical article does notextend beyond the front edge of the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b) when themedical article is properly inserted within the retainer 120. Thehealthcare provider can be instructed to generally align the medicalarticle tip with the front edges of the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b)before inserting the medical article into the retainer 120.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a removable paper or plastic release liner 180desirably covers the adhesive lower surface 160 before use. The liner180 preferably resists tearing and desirably is divided into a pluralityof pieces to ease attachment of the pad to a portion of a laterallyextending wing and to a patient's skin.

The liner 180 comprises a folded over portion to define a pull tab 190.The pull tab can be utilized to remove the paper or plastic releaseliner 180 from their adhesive lower surface 160 before use. A healthcareprovider uses the pull tab 190 by grasping and pulling on it so that theliner 180 is separated from the lower surface 160. The pull tab 190overcomes any requirement that the healthcare provider pick at a corneredge or other segment of the liner in order to separate the liner fromthe adhesive layer.

The pull tab 190 of course can be designed in a variety ofconfigurations. For example, the pull tab 190 can be located along acenter line of the anchor pad 110; or alternatively, the pull tab can belocated along any line of the anchor pad 110 in order to ease theapplication of the anchor pad onto the patient's skin at a specificsite. For example, an area of a patient's skin with an abrupt bend, suchas at a joint, can require that the pull tab 190 be aligned toward oneof the lateral ends of the anchor pad 110 rather than along the centerline. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pull tab 190extends from a bottom surface of the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b) andalong an outer line 195.

The fold that forms the pull tab 190 preferably occurs laterally beyondthe inner (medial) edge on each anchor pad 110(a), 110(b), as best seenin FIG. 2, rather than at the inner edge of the anchor pad 110(a),110(b). Thus, the spacing between the folds of the release liners 180 isless than the spacing between the inner edges of the anchor pads 110(a),110(b). The projection of the release liner beyond the anchor pad inneredge provides an area onto which any adhesive, which is used to attachthe retainer to the anchor pad, can run while lessening the occurrenceof such adhesive contacting the fold. Cracks often occur at the fold andpresence of adhesive in such cracks can create delimitation of therelease liner and incomplete removal of the release liner when peeledaway from the corresponding anchor pad 110(a), 110(b).

Additionally, the distal side of each release liner is cut to increase a“view window” through which a healthcare provider can see when aligningthe retainer over the medical article (e.g., the catheter hub and/or theconnector fitting). Preferably, the resulting relief originates from theinner edge of the release liner generally at a right angle thereto andthen transitions into a shape that generally matches the shape of theadjacent region of corresponding anchor pad 110(a), 110(b). The initialright-angle cut of this relief reduces instances of the release linerripping when properly pulled in the lateral direction away from theretainer 120.

Retainer

An embodiment of the retainer 120 is described with reference to FIGS.5-9. FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the retainer 120. The retainer 120preferably limits rotation of an installed catheter hub as well asarrests movement of the catheter hub in the longitudinal, lateral andtransverse directions. The interactions between the wings on thecatheter hub and a lower surface of the retainer 120 and between theelongated body of the catheter hub and one or more abutments on theretainer 120 together provide this feature. This multi-point securementfunction provided by the retainer 120 enhances securement between thecatheter hub and retainer 120 when compared to traditional single-pointsecurement structures.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are a back side view and front side view, respectively, ofthe retainer 120 from FIG. 5 and illustrate a body member 130 andfootings/side mounting supports 210(a), 210(b). The footings/sidemounting supports 210(a), 210(b) extend in an outward direction fromeither side of the body member. As shown in FIG. 8, the body member 130is elongated in the longitudinal direction and comprises a generallyparallelepiped shape. While it may be advantageous for theparallelepiped shaped portion of the body member 130 to be of asufficient length to independently provide stability to the retainedportion of the medical article along its length, it is not required. Forexample, the length of the body member 130, and more particularly thelength of the portion of the body member 130 which receives theelongated medical article, may be relatively short but the retainer 120still stabilizes the catheter hub via the interaction between the wingsof the catheter hub and the lower surfaces of the anchor pads. In thisway, even when the retained portion is relatively short the interactionbetween the wings of the medical article and the anchor pads enhancesthe retainers 120 ability to inhibit the rocking of the secured medicalarticle.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner side of the body member 130faces towards the patient's skin when in use and preferably defines aninverted central channel 140. The inverted channel 140 extends on theunderside of the body member 130 in a longitudinal direction forreceiving a section of the catheter hub in the illustrated embodiment.

The channel 140 is capable of receiving a portion or length of themedical article and is generally configured to house, to preferablygrip, and to secure this portion of the medical article. In oneembodiment, the channel 140 is configured to house, grip, and secure aportion of a catheter hub between an outwardly extending port and anextension set hub or cap. In the illustrated embodiment (see FIGS. 5through 8), the central channel 140 has a generally semi-circularcross-sectional shape. An inner surface contour of the central channel140 preferably is selected depending on the geometry of the portion ofthe medical article to be retained. For example, in a retainer 120 thatis configured to retain a portion of a medical article that has aconstant outer diameter, the central channel 140 preferably has aconstant radius along its length. In contrast, in a retainer 120configured to retain a portion of a medical article that has a taperingouter surface, the central channel 140 has a tapering inner surface anda radius that varies along the channel length.

Additional embodiments of the central channel 140 of the retainer cancomprise a plurality of different radii and/or tapering regions. In thisway, the size and shape of the central channel 140 can be chosen tomatch or to approximate the size and shape of the medical article orportion thereof, e.g., the catheter hub, to be retained. By matching theinner surface contour of the central channel 140 to the outer surface ofthe secured portion of a medical article, a more effective securementmay be achieved. In addition or in the alternative, effective securementcan also be achieved by the engagement of one or more abutment surfacesof the retainer with one or more contact surfaces on the medicalarticle. Each abutment surface can cooperate with a contact surface onthe medical article to inhibit movement of the medical article relativeto the retainer. Exemplary abutment surfaces and contact surfaces aredescribed below with reference to FIGS. 10-12.

Although the central channel 140 can be formed in various shapesdepending upon the desired application (e.g., depending upon a shape ofthe retained portion of the medical article for which the retainer isdesigned to be used), the central channel 140 desirably has a sufficientlength in the longitudinal direction in combination with the interactionbetween the anchor pads and wings of the medical article to stabilizethe medical article, rather than act as a fulcrum. The limited length ofthe retainer 120 allows access to portions of the medical article thatare not retained within the retainer (e.g., a port or similar outwardlyextending member). In some embodiments, the retainer 120 secures aportion of a catheter hub near the proximal end of the hub to preventthe hub from being pre-maturely pulled out of the insertion site and toincrease stability of the hub relative to the patient.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 7, the lower side of the retainer 120includes an access or lower opening 150. In some embodiments, the loweropening 150 has generally tapering sides along the longitudinal axis tomatch generally the shape of the medical article. In other embodiments,the lower opening 150 has generally parallel sides while the channel 140is tapered to match generally the shape of the medical article. Thelower opening 150 may include contouring (e.g., chamfers) along itsperiphery in order to guide the medical article into the central channel140 when inserting the medical article into the retainer 120.

The illustrated retainer 120 further comprises at least one retentionsurface 165(a), 165(b) disposed on a lower side of the inverted channel140. The retention surface holds at least a portion of the retainedmedical article within the channel 140. This support can be provided by,for example, an adhesive, a region of the inverted channel whichprovides a degree of snap-fit with the retained medical article, two ormore regions of the inverted channel which provide a degree of snap-fitwith the retained medical article, or a combination of the adhesive anda region of snap-fit. The adhesive can be located on one or moresurfaces of the retainer 120 that contact the medical article. Forexample, the adhesive could be located on the surface of the invertedchannel or on an abutment.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, the present embodiment of theretainer 120 includes multiple pairs of retention surfaces 165(a),165(b) formed on steps 280(a), 280(b) formed within the channel 140. Thesteps 280(a), 280(b) may be formed along any portion of the channel 140between the proximal side and distal side of the body 130. The steps mayact to narrow a portion of the channel 140. In this way, a portion of amedical article may be received within the steps 280(a), 280(b) whileanother portion of the medical article may also be received within adifferent portion of the channel 140.

The corresponding retention surfaces 165(a), 165(b) of each pair lie onopposite sides of the access opening 150 from each other. In thisembodiment, the retention surface 165(a) is a portion of the surfacethat defines the central channel 140 and is located on the lower side ofthe central channel 140. The retention surface 165(a) is located to oneside of the central axis. The other retention surface 165(b) is aportion of the surface that defines the central channel 140 and islocated on the lower side of the central channel 140. The retentionsurface 165(b) is further located to the side of the central axis thatis opposite to the retention surface 165(a). Once the medical article isplaced in the central channel 140, the retention surfaces 165(a), 165(b)each hold a portion of the retained section of the article within thechannel 140.

Pressure can be provided by the retention surfaces 165 which hold themedical article within the retainer 120 in the illustrated embodiment.The retention surfaces 165 provide a degree of snap fit between theretainer 120 and the medical article. The degree of snap-fit can beincreased by extending the overall surface of the central channel 140through an arc of greater than 180°. As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, inone embodiment the arc extends for more than 180° in order to morefirmly support the retained portion of the medical article. In theillustrated embodiment, the walls of the central channel 140 extendthrough an arc of approximately 270°. The length of such an arc providesa snap-fit securement between the central channel 140 on the body member130 and the secured portion of the medical article. In this way, themedical article can be placed in position prior to attaching thesecurement device 100 to the patient without concern that the medicalarticle will shift while the healthcare provider is attaching the device100 to the patient. Additionally, the releasable engagement provided bysnap-fit connection also permits the retained portion of the medicalarticle to be readily released from retainer 120.

In the illustrated embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 6, chamferedsurfaces 240(a) are formed on the underside of the step 280(a) along oneof the lower edges of the access opening 150. A second set of chamferedsurfaces 240(b) is formed on the underside of the step 280(b) along theother lower edge of the access opening 150. The portions of the retainerbody 130 between these chamfered surfaces 240 and the retention surfaces165 form hips 270(a), 270(b). In other words, the hips 270 are theportion of the body 130 that is defined by a lower side of the centralchannel 140 (either the retention surfaces 165(a) on one side of thecentral axis or the retention surfaces 165(b) on the other side of thecentral axis), the chamfered surfaces 240, and the sides of the narrowlower opening 150. In one embodiment, the chamfered surfaces 240(a) onone side of the central axis are oblique to the chamber surfaces 240(b)on the other side of the central axis and help guide the medical articleinto the lower opening 150 and the central channel 140.

The retainer 120 can include a generally rigid structure (at least incomparison to foam or tape) and is principally defined by the bodymember 130 and the mounting supports 210(a), 210(b). The body member130, however, preferably is somewhat flexible in nature, due both inpart to its structure and to the material used to form the body member130. Suitably rigid but flexible materials include, for example, butwithout limitation: plastics, polymers or composites such aspolypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride,acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, nylon, olefin, acrylic, polyester, aswell as moldable silicon, thermoplastic urethane, thermoplasticelastomers, thermoset plastics and the like. However, other materialscan be utilized.

The body member 130 and mounting supports 210(a), 210(b) are integrallyformed to comprise a unitary retainer. This can be accomplished in anyof a variety of ways well known to those skilled in the art. Forinstance, the entire retainer can be injection molded in order to reducefabrication costs. The illustrated retainer 120 preferably is formed byinjection molding using polyethylene or polypropylene material. Theretainer, however, can comprise a non-unitary body member 130 andmounting supports 210(a), 210(b). In this manner, the body member andone or both of the mounting wings are formed separately and then coupledtogether. Additionally, the body member and mounting supports can haveother forms and can have other orientations relative to one another. Thebody member 130 also can be clear or transparent to facilitate alignmentof the retainer 120 with the catheter hub or other medical articleduring installation.

Each mounting support 210(a), 210(b) preferably comprises a glue damaround a portion of its periphery on its underside. The glue damrestricts adhesive flow beyond an inner edge of the respective mountingsupport. The outer edge of each mounting support 210(a), 210(b) does notinclude the glue dam (as best seen in FIG. 7) to allow any excess glueor adhesive to seep out from under the mounting support during themanufacturing process in the lateral direction away from the retainer120.

The body member 130 of the retainer is attached to the upper surface 170of the anchor pad 110 via the mounting supports 210(a), 210(b), as isshown in FIG. 2. The body member is desirably secured to the uppersurface of the pad by a solvent bond adhesive, such as cyanoacrylate orother bonding material. One such adhesive is available commercially asPart No. 4693 from 3M.

As mentioned above, the medical article includes a pair of outwardlyextending wings that interact with lower surfaces of the left and rightanchor pads 110. The interaction between the wings and the anchor pads110 restricts longitudinal, lateral, transverse, and rotational movementof the medical article relative to the retainer 120. When the anchorpads 110 are subsequently secured to the skin of the patient, themedical article is also inhibited from moving substantially in thelongitudinal, lateral, transverse, or rotational directions relative tothe patient. Longitudinal movement of the medical article is inhibitedby engagement between at least one abutment surface on the retainer 120and a contact surface or mating surface on the medical article as wellas by the attachment of the laterally extending wings to the anchor pads110. The abutment surface on the retainer 120 preferably extendsgenerally normal to the axis of the central channel 140. The abutmentsurface can be located at or between the distal and proximal ends of theretainer 120. For example, the abutment surface can be either theproximal or distal ends of the retainer (as will be apparent from theembodiments described later). In one embodiment, the abutment surfacecan be a surface of a step 280 between the proximal and distal ends ofthe retainer. Moreover, multiple abutment surfaces on the retainer 120can be employed with each abutment surface being the same or a differenttype of abutment surface. Additionally, the abutment surface can be usedto arrest movement in one longitudinal direction and the shape of thechannel can be used to arrest movement in the opposite longitudinaldirection. For example, at least a portion of the channel 140 can have atapering inner surface and the retainer can include an abutment surfacein the form of the proximal end of the retainer. The tapering shape andabutment surface cooperate to inhibit longitudinal motion in bothlongitudinal directions. In such an embodiment, the tapering surfacecontacts an outer tapering surface of the medical article to limitmotion in one direction. Likewise, the proximal end of the retainerabuts with an outwardly extending member on the medical article, forexample, a port, to limit motion in the opposite direction.

To further arrest longitudinal motion in the illustrated embodiment, acontact surface in the form of a port extending generally in atransverse direction from the medical article is employed. The portabuts the proximal surface of the body member 130 to inhibitlongitudinal motion of the medical article in the distal direction. Insome embodiments, the medical article includes a second contact surfacethat abuts the distal surface of the body member 130 to inhibitlongitudinal motion of the medical article in the proximal direction.Further embodiments of the retainer 120 inhibit rotational movement ofthe installed medical article. This will be discussed in greater detailbelow.

An embodiment of a port 305 extending generally in a transversedirection from the medical article is described with reference to FIG.10. The port can be used to provide a medical provider with directaccess to the medical line 360 and/or to introduce medicine directlyinto a patient. In some embodiments, the port 305 includes a septumthrough which drugs or treatments can be injected and fluid can be drawnmany times with less discomfort for the patient than needle punctures.In particular, it can be desirable for the height of the port 305 to begreater than that height of the proximal surface of the body member 130to ensure that the port contacts or abuts the proximal surface when themedical article is retainer by the retainer. Those of skill in the artwill recognize that a port may also abut the distal surface of the bodymember 130 to inhibit longitudinal motion of the medical articlerelative to the retainer in the proximal direction.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, an upper section of the retainer120 further comprises a depression 135 which forms a finger pad that ahealthcare provider can press down upon. The depression 135 encouragesthe finger to push down on the retainer 120 and discourages thehealthcare provided from gripping the retainer 120 on its sides duringapplication. Such a side grip could squeeze or constrict the retainer120 and make it harder to slip the retainer 120 over the medicalarticle. By pushing down on the retainer 120, this constrictive effectis avoided.

As shown in FIG. 6, a base surface 230 of the retainer 120 is generallyplanar. In some embodiments, the base surface 230 of the retainer 120can have a concave curved shape when viewed from the front and rearsides. The degree of curvature can be varied depending on the expectedlocation of usage or application of the securement device 100. It willbe appreciated that many common sites for insertion of medical lineswhich require securement will be located on anatomical regionsexhibiting convex curvature, such as a dorsal side of a hand, an arm, aleg, a contact surface, etc. By providing a concave bottom profile tothe retainer 120, the retainer will rock less once placed upon thepatient via the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b).

FIG. 8 is a side view of the retainer 120 of FIG. 5. As illustrated inFIG. 8, an axis 260 of the central channel 140 lies at an angle withrespect to the base surfaces 230 of the retainer 120. The desired anglebetween the medical article and the patient is created by angling theaxis 260 of the central channel 140. This angle is selected in order toalign the axis 260 of the channel 140 of the retainer with the desiredincident angle with which the medical article is to contact the skin ofthe patient. A variety of different angles can be used, ranging fromabout 0° to about 45°, and more preferably from about 5° to about 25°.For instance, for the securement of intravenous catheters, it isdesirable for the angle of incidence of the catheter to the skin of thepatient to be between about 7° to about 15°. For the securement ofarterial catheters, it is desirable for the angle of incident of thecatheter to the skin of the patient to be about 12.5°. By angling theaxis 260 of the channel 140 at the desired angle, which will depend uponthe particular securement application (e.g., securing an arterialcatheter, an intravenous catheter, etc.), the proper angle of incidencefor a catheter can be maintained.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 5, the body member 130 has a thickness T.The thickness T of the body member 130 in the longitudinal direction canvary in order to maintain a generally constant spring force along theentire length of the retainer 120. In this way, the same amount of forceis required to spread the walls of the retainer 120 apart even though inthe illustrated embodiment the back end of the retainer 120 spreads moreto receive the larger diameter section of a tapered catheter hub. Asdiscussed above the thickness T of the body member can also vary toensure that a healthcare provider has access to a portion of the securedmedical article, for example, access to a port or fitting. In oneembodiment, the thickness T of the body member 130 can be less than thedistance from a port extending from the catheter hub and extension setcap to allow the body member 130 to secure the hub between the port andextension set cap.

Although certain features of the retainer 120 can be specificallyconfigured for use with a catheter hub, it will be understood by thoseof skill in the art that such a retainer 120 can be used with otheradaptors or medical lines as well. Furthermore, the retainers describedherein can be modified to more effectively cooperate with various typesof connector fittings and adaptors.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the retainer 120 and illustrates thatthe distance between the side mounting supports 210(a), 210(b) varies inthe region of the retainer 120. Width W1 is measured between the steps280(a), 280(b) in a lateral direction as shown. Width W2 is measuredbetween the steps 280(a), 280(b) in a lateral direction as shown. WidthW3 is measured between the side mounting supports 210(a), 210(b) in alateral direction as shown. The retainer 120 is designed so that widthW1 is less than the width W2 and width W3 is greater than width W2.Width W1 is selected to deter backward insertion of the medical articleinto the retainer 120. For example, the width W1 could be selected to besmaller than a spin nut or the connector end of the catheter hub. WithW1 less than W2, the potential for the medical article being incorrectlyinserted into the retainer 120 is reduced. Width W3 is selected to allowthe body 130 to receive portions of the medical article that cannot fitwithin the steps 280(a), 280(b). For example, a portion of a medicalarticle where wings connects to a main body may not fit within the steps280(a), 280(b) but may still fit within width W3 and be received by atleast a portion of the body 130.

Medical Articles

An exemplary medical article for use with the embodiment of thesecurement device described above will now be described with referenceto FIG. 10. The medical article can be a single medical article or acombination of one or more medical articles. In the illustratedembodiment, the medical article includes a pair of outwardly extendingwings 301(a), 301(b). Such medical articles can be or include, forexample, but without limitation, connector fittings, catheters, catheterhubs, catheter adaptors, fluid supply lines, or other similar articles.FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a medical article 300 including acatheter hub 430 and a connector fitting 310 with a spin nut 330. Theconnector fitting 310 is preferably disposed upon the end of a medicalline 360 which can be connected to a drip bag, blood monitor, or otherfluid related medical apparatus. In some embodiments, the connectorfitting 310 may comprise an extension set.

The connector fitting 310 comprises an elongated body 320 which isattached to the end of the medical line 360. The connector fitting 310also comprises a portion that is tapered along at least part of itslongitudinal length so as to allow the end of this region to fit withinthe tapered conical portion of a catheter hub 430. The tapered portionof the connector fitting 310 also preferably includes a centrallydisposed lumen that communicates with the lumen of the medical line.Thus, when the connector fitting 310 is inserted into the catheter hub430, the lumen of the connector fitting is disposed in fluidcommunication with the lumen of the catheter hub 430. This providesfluid communication between the medical line 360 and the patient.

A spin nut 330 is disposed upon the connector fitting 310 around theelongated body 320 of the fitting. The spin nut 330 is substantiallycylindrical in form and is able to move upon the connector fitting 310.The spin nut 330 is capable of both rotational motion around the axis ofthe connector fitting and axial motion in both the proximal and distaldirections along the length of the elongated body 320 of the fitting.The spin nut 330 also includes internal screw threads which areillustrated with phantom lines in FIGS. 10-12.

Still referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the catheter hub 430 includes a bodythat, in the illustrated embodiment, has a generally conical shape andtapers from a large radius to a smaller radius along its length. Aportion of the conical shape may be surrounded by a box 302. The port305 extends generally in an outward direction from the catheter hub 430and includes at least one contact surface. Additional contact surfacescan also be disposed upon the connector fitting 310 or catheter hub 430.Those of skill in the art will recognize that the contact surface orsurfaces need not have any particular shape or longitudinal thickness.

The pair of outwardly extending wings 301(a), 301(b) extends from box302 near the bottom side of the box. Additionally, the wings may begenerally aligned with the port 305 along the longitudinal axis of thecatheter hub 430. The wings may be generally planar so as to comfortablyfit between a patient's skin and the anchor pads. The mounting wingsand/or anchor pads of the securement device may include one or morerecess or receptacles on their bottom surface to receive at least aportion of the wings 301(a), 301(b). In this way, the bottom surface ofthe wings 301(a), 301(b) can be co-planar with the bottom surfaces ofthe anchor pads.

The catheter hub 430 also can include an external screw thread on theoutside of the conical body near the end with the larger radius. Thescrew thread can be used in association with the spin nut 330 of theconnector fitting 300 in order to securely interconnect the connectorfitting 310 and the catheter hub 430.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, when the catheter hub 430 is fullyinstalled in the retainer 120, the port 305 extends in a direction awayfrom the longitudinal axis of the catheter hub 430 and can abut the bodymember 130. The body member 130 may have a thickness configured tosecure the portion of the catheter hub 430 between the port 305 and thespin nut 330 without obstructing access to the port. Additionally, thepair of laterally extending wings 301(a), 301(b) are attached to thebottom side of the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b) via an adhesive layer toprovide added securement. The pair of wings 301 further limit rotationof the catheter hub 430 when it is installed in the retainer 120 sincethe wings are attached to the supports 201(a), 210(b).

One advantage of preventing rotation of the catheter hub relative to theretainer is that a healthcare provider can connect or disconnect theconnector fitting 310 from the catheter hub 430 without having to gripthe retainer, catheter hub, and/or port. Once the healthcare providerrotates the rotates the fitting 310 in either direction the wings 301contact the supports 210 and the catheter hub 430 is effectivelyimmobilized in that direction such that further rotation of the catheterhub 430 is prohibited while rotation of the fitting 310 is notprohibited. Once immobilized, the healthcare provider can unscrew thespin nut 330 or otherwise disengage the connector fitting from thecatheter hub with a single hand. While the use of two hands may beadvantageous in certain circumstances when operating the spin nut 330,the retainer 120 allows the healthcare provider to use a single hand.

The retainer 120 can be used with both luer slip and luer lock connectorfittings. The retainer 120 is designed such that even with the port 305positioned at a distal spot on the catheter hub 430, the retainer canfit in the space defined between the port 305 and the spin nut 330 withthe spin nut fully engaged. In the illustrated embodiment, a healthcareprovider may access the port while the medical article 300 is securedwithin the retainer 120.

Operation

An exemplary process for coupling a medical article with the securementdevice described above will now be described with reference to FIGS. 10through 15.

A preferred method of using the preferred embodiment of the securementdevice illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 9 will be described in thecontext of starting an intravenous line. However, the aspects andfeatures of the operational method and the use of the present securementdevice are not limited to this particular application.

A healthcare provider preferably begins the procedure by inserting an IVcatheter into a patient's vein in a known manner and then attaching anintravenous line to the IV catheter though the luer connection. Inparticular, the healthcare provider inserts the tapered or luer end ofthe connector fitting 310 into the catheter hub 430 and then turns thespin nut 330 to thread the spin nut 330 over a thread flange disposed atthe distal end of the catheter hub 430. This action draws together thetwo medical article components and releasably interlocks them. Theimmediate connection of the IV line to the catheter inhibits a back flowof blood through the catheter. The healthcare provider now preferablysecures the IV catheter in place on the patient using the securementdevice 100. In some variations of this method, however, the securementdevice 100 can be first be attached to one or both of the medicalarticles (as well as the possibly to the patient) before the healthcareprovider makes the connection between the two medical articles.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the connector fitting 310 secured tothe catheter hub 430, both aligned with the anchor pads 110(a), 110(b)and the retainer. A healthcare provider can secure a medical line 360and the medical articles to a patient using the above-describedsecurement system 100 or a readily apparent modification thereof. Thehealthcare provider aligns the central channel 140 of the retainer 120over the adaptor or catheter hub 430. As shown in FIG. 11, thehealthcare provider next removes the release liner 180 from the bottomsurface of the anchor pads 110 to expose the adhesive layer forattaching the wings of the medical article to the anchor pads andsubsequently attaching the anchor pads to the skin of a patient.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the connector fitting 310 secured tothe catheter hub 430 with the catheter hub being inserted into theretainer 120. The lower opening 150 in the retainer 120 is pressed overthe catheter hub 430 whereby a portion of the catheter hub slides intothe channel 140 of the body member 130. The portion of the catheter hub430 received within the channel 140 may be disposed between the port 305and the spin nut 330. Depending on the diameter of the catheter hub 430,the steps 280(a), 280(b) can provide a snap-fit connection between thehub and the body member 130.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views of the connector fitting 310and catheter hub 430 secured within the retainer 120. As is illustratedin FIG. 14, a portion of the box 302 may be received within the bodymember 130. As shown in FIG. 15, the portion of the channel on theproximal side of the steps 280(a), 280(b) has a greater diameter thanthe catheter hub 430. In this way, portions of the catheter hub 430 withdifferent diameters may be secured between the steps 280(a), 280(b)and/or in the channel on the proximal side of the steps 280(a), 280(b).Furthermore, the steps 280(a), 280(b) may prevent longitudinal movementof a received medical article in the distal direction by abutting aportion of the medical article that is disposed on the proximal side ofthe steps 280(a), 280(b).

The hub preferably includes a contact surface in the form of a port 305extending from the hub, as shown in the illustrated embodiment. The port305 contacts or abuts a surface on the body member 130 to inhibitlongitudinal movement of the hub relative to the body member. Inaddition, the pair of wings 301(a), 301(b) extending from the catheterhub 430 is attached to the adhesive layer on the anchor pads 110 tofurther inhibit longitudinal, rotational, and transverse movement of thehub 430 relative to the retainer 120 in addition to the interactionbetween the body of the hub and the channel 140.

If used with a connector fitting 310 in which a portion of the connectorfitting, such as the spin nut 330, has a greater radial size than thesize of the central channel 140 of the retainer 120, the spin nut 330can act as a contact surface and will inhibit axial motion in onedirection through the central channel 140 of the retainer as well. Usingthe size of the spin nut 330 or other element having greater radial sizethan the size of the channel is not required for effective operation ofthe systems described herein; however, such a technique may be aneffective form of securement or redundant securement in someapplications.

The combination of the channel shape 140 (both the truncated circularshape and the tapering width), the top of the retainer, theinterengagement between the body member 130 and the port 305, and theattachment of at least a portion of each wing 301 to the anchor pads 110arrests movement of the retained section of the medical line in threedimensions: longitudinally, laterally, and transversely. Further, theattachment of the wings 301 to the anchor pads 110 prohibits the hubfrom 360° rotation while the catheter hub is installed in the retainer120. The rotational stop provided by the attachment of the wings to theanchor pads allows the healthcare provider to attach and detach the spinnut (and thus the connector fitting) to and front the catheter hubwithout having the remove the catheter hub from the retainer.

Once the catheter hub or other medical article enters the lower opening150 of the retainer 120 and a portion of each wing 301 is attached tothe adhesive layer on the anchor pads 110(a), 110,(b), the anchor padsare secured to the patient. The central channel 140 of the retainersurrounds an arc length of more than 180° of the medical article. Thisinhibits any transverse or lateral motion of the medical articlerelative to the retainer 120. The catheter hub can be inserted into theretainer either before or after the fitting connector is attached to thehub.

The healthcare provider can first remove one portion of the releaseliner 180 from the anchor pad 110 by gripping the pull tab 190 andpulling the liner 180 away from the lower surface 160 of the anchor pad110. This exposes the adhesive layer of the anchor pad, which can thenbe attached to a portion of the laterally extending wings 301(a), 301(b)and then applied to the skin of the patient near the site where thehealthcare provider desires to secure the connector fitting 310 or othermedical article. The adhesive layer of the second anchor pad which islocated in a lateral direction from the first anchor pad can besimilarly exposed. The remainder of the release liner 180 for the firstand second anchor pads can then be removed and the anchor pad fullyattached to the skin of the patient. As a variation, the release lineron one anchor pad can be pulled away and the anchor pad can be fullyattached to the patient before attaching the second anchor pad to thepatient.

The various embodiments of securement devices and techniques describedabove thus provide a number of ways to provide safe and releasablesecurement for medical articles to the skin of a patient. In addition,the techniques described may be broadly applied for use with a varietyof medical lines and medical procedures.

Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all suchobjectives or advantages may be achieved in accordance with anyparticular embodiment using the systems described herein. Thus, forexample, those skilled in the art will recognize that the systems may bedeveloped in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or groupof advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving otherobjectives or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Furthermore, the skilled artisan will recognize the interchangeabilityof various features from different embodiments. Although thesetechniques and systems have been disclosed in the context of certainembodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in theart that these techniques and systems may be extended beyond thespecifically disclosed embodiments to other embodiments and/or uses andobvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Additionally, it iscontemplated that various aspects and features of the inventiondescribed can be practiced separately, combined together, or substitutedfor one another, and that a variety of combination and subcombinationsof the features and aspects can be made and still fall within the scopeof the invention. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the systemsdisclosed herein disclosed should not be limited by the particulardisclosed embodiments described above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A medical article securement system comprising: amedical article comprising, an elongated body having a longitudinalaxis, a pair of wings extending away from the elongated body, and a portdisposed on the elongated body and forming a contact surface, the portand the pair of wings being disposed along the longitudinal axis of theelongated body at the same general location; at least one anchor padincluding a lower adhesive surface for contacting both an epidural layerof a patient and at least a portion of the pair of wings; and a retainercomprising, a body member having a channel formed therethrough about achannel axis, the channel having a longitudinal length for receiving atleast a portion of the elongated body and permitting access to the portat least when the medical article is secured within the channel, thebody member having a longitudinal access opening disposed on anunderside of the body member to allow at least ingress of the portion ofthe elongated body into the channel, at least one abutment extendinggenerally normal to the channel axis and configured to abut the contactsurface on the port so as to inhibit longitudinal movement of themedical article relative to the retainer in at least one direction, andat least one support disposed on the underside of the body member and toa side of the access opening opposite the channel axis, the supportattached to the at least one anchor pad.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least one abutment is a surface on a proximal end of thebody member along the axis of the channel.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least one abutment is a surface on a distal end of thebody member along the axis of the channel.
 4. The system of claim 1,wherein the medical article is a catheter hub.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the medical article further comprises a spin nut having adiameter greater than the diameter of the elongated body.
 6. The systemof claim 1, wherein the port comprises a septum.
 7. The system of claim1, wherein the channel has an arc length of greater than 180°.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the channel has a first tapering shape. 9.The system of claim 8, wherein the channel has a second tapering shape.10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first tapering shape and thesecond tapering shape cooperate together when the medical article isinserted into the channel to limit longitudinal movement of the medicalarticle in a first direction.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein theretainer comprises a retention surface for inhibiting transverse motionof the medical article relative to the retainer.
 12. The system of claim11, wherein the retention surface is a movable wall.
 13. The system ofclaim 11, wherein the retention surface is located in the channel. 14.The system of claim 13, wherein the retention surface provides asnap-fit securement with the portion of the medical article.
 15. Thesystem of claim 13, wherein the retention surface flexes when themedical article is inserted into the channel.
 16. A system for securinga medical article to a patient comprising: a medical article comprising,an elongated body having a longitudinal axis, a pair of wings extendingin opposite lateral directions from the elongated body, and a portdisposed on the elongated body and extending generally in a transversedirection, the port being generally aligned with the pair of wings alongthe longitudinal axis; a retainer comprising, a body member having achannel formed therethrough about a channel axis, the channel receivingat least a portion of the elongated body and permitting access to theport at least when the medical article is received within the channel,the body member having a longitudinal access opening disposed on anunderside of the body member to allow at least ingress of the portion ofthe elongated body into the channel, and a pair of supports disposed onthe underside of the body member and to the sides of the access openingopposite the channel axis; and a pair of anchor pads attached to thepair of supports, the anchor pads including a lower adhesive surface forcontacting both an epidural layer of a patient and at least a portion ofeach wing such that the wings are secured relative to both the epidurallayer of the patient and the retainer.
 17. The system of claim 16,wherein the body member is spaced from the port along the longitudinalaxis when the anchor pads are attached to at least a portion of eachwing.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the port comprises a contactsurface and the retainer comprises at least one abutment extendinggenerally normal to the channel axis, the at least one abutment abuttingthe contact surface of the port so as to inhibit longitudinal movementof the medical article relative to the retainer.
 19. The system of claim18, wherein the contact surface is disposed on a distal side of theport.
 20. A method of securing a medical article to a patient, themethod comprising: providing a medical article comprising an elongatedbody having a longitudinal axis, a pair of wings and a port extendingaway from the elongated body at generally the same location along thelongitudinal axis, the port defining a contact surface disposed on adistal side of the port; providing a retainer comprising a body memberand two anchor pads, the body member having a channel formedtherethrough, the channel being configured to receive the medicalarticle, and at least one abutment extending generally normal to thechannel; pressing the medical article into the channel through anopening formed on the underside of the retainer such that the portremains accessible and the medical article is inhibited from moving inboth transverse and lateral directions, abutting the contact surface onthe port against the at least one abutment on the retainer so as toinhibit longitudinal motion of the medical article relative to theretainer in a first longitudinal direction; and adhering the anchor padsto at least a portion of the pair of wings so as to inhibit longitudinalmotion of the medical article relative to the retainer in a secondlongitudinal direction.